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Quick answer: a smooth office relocation in Nairobi starts 8 to 12 weeks ahead with a move coordinator, a floor plan for the new space and an inventory of furniture and IT. Book commercial movers who survey the office first, schedule the physical move for a Friday night or weekend, back up and label all IT equipment, and keep staff, clients and suppliers informed at every stage. Use the week-by-week checklist below.
We relocate offices across Nairobi, from small teams in Westlands and Upper Hill to multi-floor moves for organisations and government offices. This checklist brings together what we have learned from those moves.
Office relocation checklist: week by week
8 to 12 weeks before
- Appoint one internal move coordinator who makes decisions and is the contact for the movers.
- Confirm the move date, the lease end at the old office and access to the new one.
- Get a floor plan of the new office and decide where each team, desk and printer will go.
- List what is moving, what is being sold or disposed of, and what new furniture is coming.
- Ask two or three office movers for a site survey and an itemised written quote.
6 weeks before
- Book your movers and agree the schedule, crew size and any after-hours work.
- Book internet, phone lines and power checks at the new office so they are live before move day.
- Ask both buildings about lift bookings, loading bays, parking and moving hours.
- Plan IT: which systems can go offline, when, and in what order they come back up.
4 weeks before
- Tell staff the date, the new address and what is expected of each person.
- Inform clients, suppliers and your bank of the new address and any service interruption.
- Order new signage, letterheads and business cards.
- Arrange temporary storage for anything that cannot go straight into the new office.
2 weeks before
- Back up all data, and test that the backup can be restored.
- Start packing archives and items that are not used daily.
- Label every desk, box and piece of equipment with its destination room and desk number.
- Clear out old files and furniture you are not taking.
Move week
- Staff pack their own desks into labelled crates by the last working day.
- IT shuts down and disconnects equipment in the agreed order.
- Movers dismantle workstations, wrap furniture and load in the planned sequence.
- The coordinator checks off the inventory as items leave and as they arrive.
The first week in the new office
- Test every workstation, printer, phone and network point before staff arrive.
- Walk the old office one last time for anything left behind.
- Update your address on your website, Google Business Profile, invoices and social media.
- Collect staff feedback and fix layout problems early.
How to minimise business downtime
- Move after hours. A Friday evening or weekend move means staff leave one office on Friday and start in the new one on Monday.
- Move in phases. For larger offices, move one department at a time so the business keeps running.
- Protect critical functions. Decide which services cannot stop, such as customer support, finance or servers, and give them priority, a backup plan or temporary remote work.
- Prepare the new space first. Internet, power and furniture layout should be ready before the first box arrives.
Moving IT equipment and servers safely
- Inventory. List every computer, monitor, printer, server and network device with its serial number and destination.
- Back up. Back up all data before anything is unplugged.
- Label cables. Photograph and label connections so equipment can be reconnected quickly.
- Pack properly. Use anti-static wrap and padded crates, and move servers upright with racks secured.
- Transport securely. Keep IT equipment in a closed truck, loaded last and unloaded first.
- Reinstall and test. Reconnect in the planned order and test before staff return.
Heavy items such as safes, server racks and machinery may need pallet trucks or a crane. Tell your movers about them at the survey.
Confidential files and documents
Pack sensitive files in sealed, numbered containers and keep a list of what is in each one. Ask your movers to keep confidential items under direct supervision from your office to the new one, and check the seals on arrival. This is also a good time to archive or securely destroy records you no longer need to keep.
Shops, warehouses and other commercial moves
Retail, warehouse and industrial moves add stock, shelving and equipment to the plan. Count stock before and after the move, move fast-selling stock last so you can keep trading as long as possible, and plan for heavy or oversized items. For large or regulated items, check whether you need any permits or special handling before the move.
Choosing office movers
Look for movers who survey your office before quoting, give an itemised written price, carry Goods in Transit insurance, have experience with IT equipment and will work after hours. Our guide on how to choose movers in Nairobi lists the questions to ask and the red flags to avoid.
What affects the cost of an office move
- The number of workstations, staff and departments
- The distance between the old and new office
- IT equipment, servers and fragile items that need special handling
- Access at both buildings: stairs, lifts and parking
- Timing: weekday, weekend or after hours
- Temporary storage during the move
Every office move is quoted after a site survey, so you get an itemised price before you commit.
Frequently asked questions
Start planning 8 to 12 weeks ahead and book movers at least 2 weeks before the move. Larger offices and multi-department moves need 6 to 8 weeks of planning with the movers.
Schedule the physical move for a Friday night or weekend, move in phases for larger offices, and make sure internet and power are working at the new office before move day.
Staff usually pack their own desk items into labelled crates, and the movers pack and move furniture, IT equipment, files and everything else.
Back up all data, label cables, pack equipment in anti-static wrap and padded crates, move it in a closed truck and test everything before staff return.
Update your address on your website, Google Business Profile, invoices, letterheads and social media, and tell clients, suppliers, your bank and relevant authorities.
It depends on office size, distance, IT equipment, access and timing. Professional movers give a free, itemised quote after surveying the office.
Planning an office move?
Nairobi Movers handles office moving and corporate relocation across Nairobi, with after-hours and weekend moves available 24/7, IT and server handling, and secure storage if your new office is not ready. Call 0724 225 178 or WhatsApp us to book a free site survey.